Philadelphia is home to the toughest, craziest fans in the NFL. Coming into this season, the spotlight was on Chip Kelly to ensure post-season play. If he didn’t deliver, the fans would be very unforgiving, as usual.
Chip Kelly started off the season with the keys to the organization in hand.
With his new found power, Chip made the questionable trade of the Eagles franchise’s leading rusher, LeSean McCoy, for broken Kiko Alonso. Alonso missed the whole 2014 season due to injury. Who wants a broken toy? Leave it to the Eagles to take him in.
Believe it or not, that wasn't Chip’s last time shopping at the junkyard. He traded starting quarterback Nick Foles for injured Sam Bradford.
Chip then decided not to resign long-time Philadelphia linebacker Trent Cole and wide receiver Jeremy Maclin. In the end, Philadelphia is not so coincidentally home to nine University of Oregon alumni during preseason. What is this, the Philadelphia Ducks?
Many fans speculated that Chip Kelly, the former University of Oregon Ducks coach, was determined to sign his college players.
After a successful season at San Diego, Ryan Mathews was signed to the team. It seemed that Mathews would be our starting running back. However, 2014 leading rusher DeMarco Murray from the Dallas Cowboys was added to the three-headed monster-- already including Darren Sproles and Ryan Mathews.
DeMarco Murray came to the team with his college roomie, Sam Bradford. The two guys were destined to become two peas in a pod again like back in good ol’ Oklahoma. Then another QB stole the spotlight temporarily, Tim Tebow!
Fans went nuts with “Tebowmania.” After Tebow’s third string competition, Matt Barkley was traded before the regular season; everyone was convinced that is was “Tebow Time!” Nevertheless, good old Chip released Tebow shortly after. Fans joked God himself made it his mission to punish Chip for the trade of the spiritual Christian Tebow. The season started off with back to back loses against the Falcons and Cowboys.
Chip Kelly was already under fire. We bounced back against a very good New York Jets team in week 3 but then fell to our divisional rival the Redskins in week 4. Things looked bright again but just for a moment after lighting up the Saints 39-17. The Eagles were then faced with 3 prime time games in a row against two divisional rivals and an undefeated Carolina Panthers.
On the night that Brian Dawkins, Brian Westbrook, and Donovan McNabb return to the Linc, the Eagles performed exceptionally well against the stinky Giants. DeMarco Murray rushed for 109 yards and the Eagles’s defense looked strong with only letting up one touchdown.
However, it was not the same story against the Panthers the following week. The birds lost 27 to 16. The Eagles bounced back quickly when they faced the Dallas Cowboys in week nine. The Eagles won in overtime with a game winning touchdown pass from Sam Bradford to Jordan Matthews. What could be sweeter than beating the Cowboys?
Unfortunately, things then went south. It all started with a 20-19 loss against the Dolphins. We also lost our starting quarterback Sam Bradford. Mark Sanchez had to play for the next couple of weeks until Sam Bradford could return. The Eagles suffered two embarrassing loses against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving. Both games the Eagles let up 45 points and could not score more than two touchdowns. It seemed like the only possibility of a win at Lincoln Financial Field would have to come from Temple University.
Going into week 13 with the 2014 Super Bowl Champs, the New England Patriots, on the schedule any chance at playoffs didn’t seem possible.
Eagles fans were overjoyed knowing that Sam Bradford would be back for the game. With our secret weapon Darren Sproles and our rock Malcolm Jenkins, we surprised everyone. Tom Brady was on the comeback trail, but the Eagles managed to win even after the Patriots recovered an onside kick.
During LeSean McCoy’s return to Philly with the Buffalo Bills in week 14, the Eagles won by three points. McCoy was not feeling the “Brotherly Love”
The Eagles will finish out 2015 with the Cardinals and Redskins. Hopefully an end of the year recap of 2016 will include a visit to Super Bowl 50??? Hey, us Eagles fans are a very hopeful and optimistic bunch. Right? Who else could lose to the Lions then beat the Patriots? Still tied for the divisional lead at 6-7.
